nk of it, turning it this way and that, there always comes
to me just as I am falling to sleep this reflection: the
English-speaking peoples now rule the world in all essential facts.
They alone and Switzerland have permanent free government. In
France there's freedom--but for how long? In Germany and
Austria--hardly. In the Scandinavian States--yes, but they are
small and exposed as are Belgium and Holland. In the big secure
South American States--yes, it's coming. In Japan--? Only the
British lands and the United States have secure liberty. They also
have the most treasure, the best fighters, the most land, the most
ships--the future in fact.

Now, because George Washington warned us against alliances, we've
gone on as if an alliance were a kind of smallpox. Suppose there
were--let us say for argument's sake--the tightest sort of an
alliance, offensive and defensive, between all Britain, colonies
and all, and the United States--what would happen? Anything we'd
say would go, whether we should say, "Come in out of the wet," or,
"Disarm." That might be the beginning of a real world-alliance and
union to accomplish certain large results--disarmament, for
instance, or arbitration--dozens of good things.

Of course, we'd have to draw and quarter the O'Gormans[56]. But
that ought to be done anyhow in the general interest of good sense
in the world. We could force any nation into this "trust" that we
wanted in it.

Isn't it time we tackled such a job frankly, fighting out the Irish
problem once for all, and having done with it?

I'm not proposing a programme. I'm only thinking out loud. I see
little hope of doing anything so long as we choose to be ruled by
an obsolete remark made by George Washington.

W.H.P.

January H, 1914.

. . . But this armament flurry is worth serious thought. Lloyd George
gave out an interview, seeming to imply the necessity of reducing
the navy programme. The French allies of the British went up in
the air! They raised a great howl. Churchill went to see them, to
soothe them. They would not be soothed. Now the Prime Minister is
going to Paris--ostensibly to see his daughter off to the Riviera.
Nobody believes that reason. They say he's going to smooth out the
French. Meantime the Germans are gleeful.